Essay by Luke Foster
“The fact is that ours is the first generation that can look disease and extreme poverty in the eye, look across the ocean to Africa, and say this, and mean it. We do not have to stand for this. A whole continent written off – we do not have to stand for this.” Bono
Bono has been an activist for years for overcoming poverty in the developing world. He has achieved a lot but much more can be done.
“I want to run, I want to hide
I wanna tear down the walls that hold me inside
I wanna reach out and touch the flame
Where the streets have no name, ha, ha, ha
I wanna feel sunlight on my face
I see that dust cloud disappear without a trace
I wanna take shelter from the poison rain
Where the streets have no name, oh, oh
Where the streets have no name
Where the streets have no name
We’re still building then burning down love
Burning down love
And when I go there, I go there with you
It’s all I can do”
Where the Streets Have No Name U2 song
I find the lyrics of this U2 song very moving, and they show how much of a pure heart Bono has.
One of the biggest killers in the developing world is lack of clean drinking water.
“Because no matter who we are or where we come from, we’re all entitled to the basic human rights of clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and healthy land to call home. “Martin Luther King III
I agree with Martin Luther King’s quote and its never more relevant than now with people, particularly children in the developing world and especially for access to clean drinking water.
“Up to 80% of illnesses in the developing world are linked to inadequate water and sanitation. In many countries, pollution or rising sea levels are contaminating trusted water sources. Water stress and lack of sanitation disproportionately affect women and girls.”
There are ways this problem can be overcome and one of them is provided by the charity Oxfam and it’s called a tippy tap.
“In various parts of the world, families build simple devices in order to wash their hands. This device is commonly called a Tippy-tap. Many communities do not have access to clean, running water; which is crucial in reducing the spread. of bacterial diseases.”
A tippy tap
Bono
Martin Luther King